Struts to match my TRD springs?

[nomad2277]

Hey all....a new person here, Well, I have had my 2000 solara lowered for about a year or so now with TRD springs.....and now I'm starting to hear some rattling and other noises. Toyota said that the stock struts were too long and that I needed some short bodied struts....The TRD person on the other hand told me I wouldn't need them and that this issue is new to him...SO my question is to you all knowledgeable peeps, do you all think I need new struts to match and if so what is a good quality economic suggestion for new struts.......If not....then do you know what may be causing the noise what is the remedy?....

Thanks for any help

[jim@foreignaffairs]

Rattles are not typically what worn struts do, though upper strut mounts, and loose or broken suspension components can more commonly be the cause. The TRD springs don't lower the car so much that it would ruin the struts quickly from what I have seen, but the firmer spring rate does take more strut to control, and they usually wear due to that. I know a lot of people like Tokico or KYB struts as cost-effective replacements that tend to handle higher spring rates longer. Personally I like Bilstein, though they are not cheap, and what makes it worse were only sold through TRD.

Jim

[nomad2277]

Yeah...as for the rattling I guess it may be possible that the struts were not able to take the spring rate thus leading to faster wearing and/or subsequent loosening of parts and thus the rattling noise appearance but who knows until I have it checked out....

So bilstein made the original TRD struts which were discontinued and are no longer available....argh....hmm...maybe I'll look into some tokicos......Thanks for the help....